Supporting device for golf bags



Aug. 1, 1933. T. w. MURPHY ET AL SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR GOLF BAGS Filed May 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 8 11| 9,. f I, ,//l/w w 2.1. @Ma o l@ w www,... s ll 4/1. 1 .F 5 5 4 2 ,/o 2 2 a INVENTOR THG/VIAS WML/RPHY JOHN C. 0775 BY WIL/31AM QWADDEI.

t ATTORNEYS A115 1, 1933. T. w. MURPHY Er AL 1,920,581

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR GOLF BAGS Filed May 23. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet'I 2 JOHN C. 0775 v BY WML/AM Cim/ABDEL @Juf *Mr/ ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. l, 1933v UNrrED STATES 1,920,581 snrroa'rmay DEVICE Foa GoLFeAes Thomas W. Murphy and John C. Otis, Pierponh and William G. VVaddel, Webster, S. Dak.; y said Murphy assignor oionefthird to Elizabeth J. Murphy, Piemont, S. Dak.

Application May 23, i930. serial No. ,454,922 1 claim, (o1. 15o- 4.5)

This invention relates to a golf bag supporting device of type including supporting legs adapted to cooperate with a bag to support it in inclined position with its open endor mouth disposed upwardly. i

The general object of the invention is to provide a'supporting device of the present character Whichwill be associated with a vgolf bag in novel andimprove'd manner tov oier no interference or obstruction to ready removal of. clubs from or insertion of clubs into the bag, and which will include novel and improved' mechanism adapted to be manually manipulated by expenditure 01" a' minimum'oi effortto position thelegs of the *5 device in supporting positionand to be automatically manipulatedto return said legs to normal position against orsubstantiallyparallel to thebag. i

With the above objects in view, as well as others which will appearas the specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction, arrangement and combination of partsas now to .be fully described and as hereinafter to be specifically claimed, it being understood that the disclosureherein is merely illustrative and in',- tended in no way ina limiting sense, changes in details o constructionand arrangement of parts being permissible solong as withinthe spirit of the invention and the scope oi the claimv which follows.

In the accompanying drawings, iorminga part of this speciication,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golfbag upon whichfa supporting device having the features ofthe invention is arranged, the bag beingrdisposed in upright position and the. supporting legs of the device being in; normal position'against or substantially parallel to the bag;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig; 1, but showing the bag in inclined position and the supporting 'legs in supporting position, as when said bag and legs areirtsting upon the ground to provide a tripod support for the golf'bag;

Fig. 3 is a top planfvievv of the disclosure of Fig. 1, showing, in dotted lines, the supporting legs positioned asin Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a sectional view of the spring handle 'of the supporting device, taken on line 4`4 in Fig.- 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the supporting device, detailing the manner oi association of the springhandle with the supportingflegs;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View, taken on line V6--6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. Z is -a detail sectional view, taken on line 7-'1 in Fig;V 1; and l Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the band or vcollar of the device, detailing the stops for a supporting -leg struck from said band or collar.

With respect to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, 10 represents a golf bag of ordinary or preferred construction including a cylindrical, desirably fabric bodyhaving a closed, circular supporting base 11, an open, circular mouth 12, longitudinal reinforcements or stiffeners 13 lextending the length of the bag, and circular reinforcements, stiffeners, or hoops 14,

15 and 16 extending about the base, the mid,

length, and the mouth, respectively, of the bag. Preferably, a metallic cap 17 is fitted upon the `fabric base to better support the golf bag and resist wear, said cap being attached to the-bag as indicated at 18.

The circular reinforcement, stiffener, or hoop 16 about the mouth of the bag may consist of an .endless length of relatively heavy wire, or other suitable metal desirably vcircular in cross-section, situated in an annular fold 19 of strengthening material at the upper endofy the bag and attached to the full kcircumference thereof'as at 20. The ends of the length of material or hoop constituting the reinforcement or `stifener 16 may be joined to each other inl any preferred manner,

asby welding or soldering.,Av

The supporting device of the invention includes a relatively stili, desirably metallic annular member, band or collar 21 having a flat body portion 22 adapted to t or lie against an upper portion of the golf bag directly below the reinforcement, stiffenenor hoop 16, and a gripping or attaching portion 23, desirably of curvilinear or part-circular conformation in cross-section, adapted to snugly embrace, for the full circumference of the bag, a curvilinear or part-circular area of the strengthening fold 1,9 lying against the outer side or perimeter of the reinforcement, stiffener, or hoop 16. As shown, free ends o `the band or collar 21 'are attached to eachother by a small nutted and headed screw bolt 24 arranged in ment, stiiiener, or hoop 16. It will be noted by reference to Figs. 6 and 7 that the upper, inner, annular edge or margin ci said portion 23 terminates in a circumference slightly greater than and surrounding the circumference of the mouth 12 of the golf bag, to thus oder no interference or obstruction to ready removal of clubs from or insertion of clubs into the bag, liable to cause clubs to be niclredor otherwise marred when removed for use or replaced.

While we have described the gripping or attachingportion 25 as of curvilinear or part-circular conformation in cross-section, it will be apparent that said portion' can be of modified! configuration to be rigidly clamped upon a re-4 inforcement, stiifener, or hoop, such as 16, of f variant cross-sectional shape. In any event, however, the free marginal edge of said portion 23wi1l preferably be disposedabout the mouth of the golf bag to lie beyond or outside of the circumference ci said `mouth and be clear of the line'of passage ofclubs being inserted and removed.

The band or collar 21 suitably carries a pair of spaced apart, outwardly projecting studs 26` vas by a nut 28 upon the stud, are adapted to normally lie against orsubstantially parallel to the golf bag with their upper and lower ends'terminating short-of the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the bag, but to be moved manually into contact with the ground when the bag is in inclined position, to provide, together with th bag itself, a tripod support for the bag. Means for simultaneously manipulating the supporting legs 27 consists of a curved or partcircular spring 29 ofr comparatively rigid, fiexible nature, desirably of metal, providing a handle disposed about an upper-portion of the bag in spaced relation thereto and `having its ends attached, as at 30, to the shorterlengths of said legs 27 disposed above the studs 26, said handle as disclosed spanning the shorter arc between said studs.

The end portionsof the curved or part-circular spring 29 are spaced apart a distance to normally position the upper., shorter lengths of the supporting legs 27 relatively to'each other about as shown in Fig. 1, to thus situate the lower, `long lengths of said legs against or substantially parallel to 'the golf bag. When it is desired to actuate the legs 27 to'bag supporting position, the handle orspring 29 is moved downwardly of the golf bag to. thus swing said legs upon the studs 26 as axes. Obviously, when the handle or spring 29 is moved downwardly, the upper, short lengths of the legs 27 travel from left toward right and the lower, long lengths of said legs travel from right .toward left, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2.

It been hereinbefore stated that the studs 26, upon which. the supporting legs 27 are pivoted, are disposed 'in divergent relation to each other,

ythat the nuts 28 hold said legs in lposition adjacent to or contiguous with `the band or collar 21, and that the handle-or spring 29 simultaneously actuates the supporting legs 27. When said handle Vor spring is moved downwardly, the

lower, long lengths of the supporting legs 27 are, evidently, rotated upon the divergent studs or axes 26 to be spread away from each other and swung away from the bag, while the upper, short lengths of said supporting legs are rotated to be moved in direction toward each other and swung away from the bag. Spreading apart of the supporting legs as they swing away from the bag to supporting position makes provision for engagement of said supporting legs and the bag at three widely spaced apart locations to thus provide an efficient tripod support for the golf bag. 1t will be apparent that by altering the degree of divergence of the studs 26 relatively to each other, and by altering the length ci the supporting legs 27, said legs can, when in operative, supporting position, besprcad apart and spaced from the handle or spring 29 tending to return said supporting legs to their normal position as in Fig. 1. 1C() Immediately, however, upon release of the supporting legs from the ground, said legs will be moved vautomatically by said handle or spring from the position as shown in Fig. 2 to the position as shown in Fig. 1. The rotation of the supporting legs 27fr upon the studs 26 by downward movement of thehandle or spring 29 relatively to `the golf bag which spreads the lower, long lengths of said legs apart andmoves the upper, short lengths thereof toward each other, causes said upper, short lengths to swing the end portions or arms of said handle or spring toward each other, to thus both `tension and twist said end portions `or arms. That is to say, movement of the legs 27 to supporting position stores up 115 energy in the handle or spring 29 which acts as soon as said supporting legs are released from the ground to return the legs, as well as the manipulating-handle or spring, to normal position as disclosed in Fig. 1. Gravity, of course, assists the action.y

Suitable stops, designated 32 and v33, are provided upon the band or collar 21 to limit swinging movement of the supporting legs 27 in either direction, the stops 32, one for each supporting leg, desirably being arranged to be engaged by theshort, upper lengths of the legs whenthey reach normal position as in Fig. l, andthe stops 33, one for each supporting leg, desirably being arrangedto be engaged by the long, lower lengths of the legs when they-reach desired bag supporting position, as in Fig. 2. As shown, the stops 32 and 33 are constituted by metal struck from the band or collar 21, although said stops could be constructed in some other manner.

Particular attention is called to the simplicity ofoperation of thepresent supporting device considered from thestandpoint of use. The golfer upon reaching a location of play places the bag in standing position upon the ground, moves the handle or spring downwardly as he tilts the bag, and causes the supporting legs so spread to contact with the ground-thus stably positioning the bag as in Fig. 2. This operation can be easily performed with one hand. Upon 115 leaving the location, the golfer picks up the bag in any manner he may prefer, as by the handle 29, or by any ordinary handle such as 34 usually upon the bag, and immediately the supporting legs automatically return to their normal posilto simultaneously swing said supporting legs tion, as in Fig. 1, against or substantially parallel to the bag. Thus the golfer may set out with his bag without removing his eyes vfrom the location to which a ball may have been struck.

We claim as our invention:

A supporting device for a golf bag, comprising a pair ofsupporting legs, separate means forpivotally attaching an intermediate portion of each supporting leg to the golf bag so that a relatively long length of the leg is disposed below its pivot and a relatively short length of the leg is disposed above its pivot, and a spring element attached to said relatively short lengths of the supporting legs and adapted to normally hold said relatively long lengths of the legs in inoperative position adjacent said bag, said spring element being adapted to -be manipulated upon their pivots tomove said relatively long lengths ofthe legs to bag supporting position, andsaid separate pivotal means for said supporting legs having relation to each other to cause said relatively long lengths of the legs to be spread apart and said relatively short lengths of the legs to be moved toward each other to tension and twist said spring `element when the supportingv legs are swung towardv supporting position, and stops for limiting swinging move-l ment of said supporting legs beyond said inoperative and said bag supporting positions.

THOMAS WM. MURPHY.`

JOHN c. o'rrs. WILLIAMl G. WADDEL. 

